Go Back to School with These 26 Snapshots from Our Collective Schooldays

John Summers • Contributor

Feb 15, 2025 10:00 PM EST

School was a mixed bag for me. As a Gen Xer with severe ADHD, I was one of those kids who slipped through the cracks—not because I wasn't smart, but because I wasn't diagnosed until my 30s. So instead of support, I got the classic "You're so smart, but you're just not trying" speech on repeat. (Spoiler: I was trying—just in a thousand different directions at once.)

Studying was never my thing. If a subject was easy, I got bored. If it was hard, I lost interest immediately. But you know what kept me coming back? My friends. I wasn't exactly popular, but I could float between every social group—nerds, jocks, goth kids, band geeks, troublemakers—I got along with everyone (probably because I was a little bit of each).

This collection of 26 snapshots will transport you straight back to those chaotic, cringey, unforgettable school years—from weird cafeteria food to scratchy gym uniforms to the feeling of sheer terror when the teacher called on you and you had no idea what was going on.